The original owners of the Newburgh Paper Box Factory, Bill and Meg Monell visited the Newburgh Brewery. Paul Halayko, president of the Brewery, shared a very heartwarming story about his meeting with the Monell’s and the history they have with the building:
“Last week while helping to unload a flatbed truck, the foreman on our job-site, Lou, came outside and said: “Paul, there is a lovely woman upstairs who said her husband used to own the Newburgh Paper Box Company, and would be delighted to meet you.” I abandoned the unloading operation, and sprinted upstairs, and that is how I met Meg Monell. Meg proceeded to tell me that her husband, Bill, used to run the Newburgh Paper Box Company, along with his two brothers. His father had founded the company, and then Bill and his brothers had taken over shortly after the company was founded. Of course, I eagerly asked if Meg and Bill would like to have lunch and meet the rest of the team, and Meg was happy to oblige. We love the history of our building, and getting to meet two people who played an integral role in that history is a dream come true. We met Meg and Bill on Tuesday afternoon at Billy Joe’s on the Newburgh waterfront. What ensued was a wonderful hour rich in the history of Newburgh, as Meg and Bill both shared amazing stories about both the Newburgh Paper Box Company, and the whole of Newburgh. Bill’s father came to open the Newburgh Paper Box Company in 1910, and shortly after graduating Syracuse University in 1930, Bill came to work there. Bill was primarily in sales, and he secured such accounts as Dixon Pencils, and local Newburgh hat manufacturers (they made the boxes for both). At it’s peak, the company employed over 100 people. Newburgh Paper Box closed it’s doors in 1980. Bill will be celebrating his 102nd birthday this year!
After lunch, we drove up to our new home, and Bill and Meg were delighted to take a picture in front of the old “Newburgh Paper Box” sign. As we are so proud of our building, we are leaving that sign up – in fact, we have plans to paint “Newburgh Brewing Company” in the same exact style, right next to our main entrance.
Bill and Meg are lovely and warm people, and we are proud to now count them as friends of Newburgh Brewing Company.”
(from l. to r.) Rick Basso, Christina Basso, Chris Basso, Bill Monell, Meg Monell, Paul Halayko, and Charlie Benedetti – outside of Billy Joe’s Ribworks
